Private school teacher back to work after suspension for alleged inappropriate touching

A teacher with a private school who was placed on a five-week suspension after allegations that he inappropriately touched his female student on school grounds, is now back to work. This has made a few parents furious with the school. The allegations were made by the female student.

A mother who spoke to Samoa News on condition of anonymity said the teacher was placed on suspension after he was accused of touching his student. The woman, whose daughter attends the private school said that if the school administration does not place the teacher on suspension, her daughter is not safe and she will have to pull her daughter out of the school.

“The administration is choosing to protect the teacher and yet who’s going to protect the students that are attending the school?”, said the furious mother.

The Director of the school confirmed that the teacher who was suspended is now back to work. The School Director explained that the teacher is back pending an investigation by the police. He added that he cannot give an official comment on the issue at hand because the matter is still pending with the Department of Public Safety. Officials at the Department of Public Safety have confirmed that an investigation is on-going, and once it is complete, a police report will be compiled and transferred to the Attorney General’s office.

Deputy Attorney General Mitzie Jessop Folau declined to give an official comment, but confirmed that investigations are underway.

Meanwhile a mother who has a son attending this private school contacted Samoa News and said the teacher who has been accused is a great teacher. “That teacher is a man of God, a Christian man, a humble man... as a mother I know I can trust that teacher around my children”, she said.

This mother said she has three children and two are already in college and they were both students of this specific teacher who’s being accused. She added she was very disappointed when she found out the school had placed the teacher on suspension. The woman said she’s very concerned about the accusations against the teacher because she knows the man is innocent.

“I speak on my behalf, I know deep down in my heart this teacher is valuable to the school. “I don’t believe what he’s accused of and I know he’s a great teacher and I would stand by that man, because I hate to see this teacher go down only because of rumors,” she stated.

Calls and messages to reach the accused teacher and his lawyer were unanswered as of press time.